By Thomas Sellers Jr.Ripley High graduate and 10-year NFL player Ramon Foster lives out his dream daily as an guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The man known as ‘The Big Ragu’ credits himself reaching the pros to his family and faith built in Tipton and Lauderdale counties.
Foster also knows some families just have a simple dream of eating a home-cook meal on Thanksgiving Day. With that in mind, Foster and his family have a food giveaway every Friday prior to Thanksgiving at his home church of St. Luke Missionary Baptist in Covington, now under the guidance of Rev. Dexter Moragna.
Foster wasn’t present for the fourth annual event after playing the Tennessee Titans the previous night. But on hand were organizers and Foster’s family members Florence Dyson and Ronald Holland.
The volunteers feeding nearly 300 families were Dyson, Holland, Josie Kimble, Daphine Smith, Larry Drew, Vicky Whitley, Earlean Maben, Eric Maben, Tommy Boyd, Hattie McDonald, Willie Jones, Callie Young and Doris Frazier.
Tipton County families arrived with their tickets. Before 10 a.m. Friday, 275 tickets were handed out already. Food delivers were made prior to senior citizen homes throughout Tipton County with Dyson noting the seniors are the first to be served every year.
Then others made the trip up to St. Luke to receive care packages with a 12-pound turkey, stuffing, green beans, corn, cake mix, frosting and cranberry sauce.
“He is humble, born and raised here and at this church,” Holland said about his son Ramon. “He does this because this is his heritage and where his roots started.”
Foster is a 10-year pro now playing for the Steelers. His brother Renardo Foster is a former St. Louis Ram. Ramon is also related to former Brighton and Covington basketball standout Demetrius Dyson and Brighton graduate and Miss Teen Tennessee Desiree Dyson.
Ramon played college football at the University of Tennessee earning All-SEC honors as a freshman and junior.
For more information about the St. Luke Food Pantry, contact Florence Dyson at 237-5802.